Firefox/URL Bar Algorithm - Revision history

Gerv: /* While The User Is Typing */

2011-11-07T10:24:31Z

While The User Is Typing

← Older revision		Revision as of 10:24, 7 November 2011
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	* Frecency: The rest of the results are sorted according to the [https://developer.mozilla.org/en/The_Places_frecency_algorithm Places Frecency algorithm].		* Frecency: The rest of the results are sorted according to the [https://developer.mozilla.org/en/The_Places_frecency_algorithm Places Frecency algorithm].

	Search results can be limited to some subset of the possible sources, according to [http://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/Location%20bar%20autocomplete#w_changing-results-on-the-fly this algorithm].		Search results can be limited to some subset of the possible sources, according to [http://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/Location%20bar%20autocomplete#w_changing-results-on-the-fly this algorithm]. A slightly older description of this process is [http://stackoverflow.com/questions/540725/how-does-firefoxs-awesome-bar-match-strings/1208458#1208458 also available].

	==When Enter Is Pressed==		==When Enter Is Pressed==

Dietrich: /* While The User Is Typing */

2011-11-03T03:57:31Z

While The User Is Typing

← Older revision		Revision as of 03:57, 3 November 2011
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	* open tabs titles and URLs		* open tabs titles and URLs

	with search results limited to some subset of ~~those~~ sources ~~if requested~~, according to [http://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/Location%20bar%20autocomplete#w_changing-results-on-the-fly this algorithm].		The results are sorted in the following order:

			* Keywords: If the first search string matches a bookmark keyword, the first result will be the keyword search URL. Any subsequent search strings will be added to the URL in the result. For example, a Google keyword search will show a result for "google" of "http://www.google.com/search?q=", with the result for "google foo" being "http://www.google.com/search?q=foo".
			* Adaptive matching: The next set of results will be those for which the typed string matches a previous selection from the results for that same typed string. For example, if I often type "goo" and select http://www.google.com from the results, then that URL will quickly become the top matching result when I type "goo".
			* Frecency: The rest of the results are sorted according to the [https://developer.mozilla.org/en/The_Places_frecency_algorithm Places Frecency algorithm].

			Search results can be limited to some subset of the possible sources, according to [http://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/Location%20bar%20autocomplete#w_changing-results-on-the-fly this algorithm].

	==When Enter Is Pressed==		==When Enter Is Pressed==

GavinSharp at 20:50, 31 October 2011

2011-10-31T20:50:19Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:50, 31 October 2011
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	==When Enter Is Pressed==		==When Enter Is Pressed==

	~~(Adding a Ctrl or Shift modifier changes the behaviour; the below is the unmodified algorithm.)~~

	==Before Network==		==Before Network==
			* The command is handled by urlbarBindings.xml's "urlbar" binding's handleCommand method
			** It first calls _canonizeURL (urlbarBindings.xml), which handles Ctrl/Shift/Alt modifier suffix addition (e.g. Ctrl+Enter to add "www." and ".com")
			** _canonizeURL also calls getShortcutOrURI (browser.js)
			*** If the string contains a space, split on the first space and examine the first token.
			**** If it's a search engine keyword, expand using the relevant search URL.
			**** If it's a user-defined keyword, expand that.
			** With the URL filtered through _canonizeURL, and the right tab/window obtained via handleCommand's modifier checking code, call nsDocShell::LoadURI with LOAD_FLAGS_ALLOW_THIRD_PARTY_FIXUP

	~~Function [http://mxr.mozilla.org/mozilla-central/source/browser/base/content/browser.js#2297 getShortCutOrURI in browser.js].~~		..

	* If the string contains a space, split on the first space and examine the first token.
	** If it's a search engine keyword, expand using the relevant search URL.
	** If it's a user-defined keyword, expand that.

	...

	* If it looks like a search according to [http://mxr.mozilla.org/mozilla-central/source/docshell/base/nsDefaultURIFixup.cpp#804 this algorithm], insert it into the <tt>keyword.URL</tt> preference value to produce a search URL, since the <code>keyword.enabled</code> preference defaults to true in Firefox.		* If it looks like a search according to [http://mxr.mozilla.org/mozilla-central/source/docshell/base/nsDefaultURIFixup.cpp#804 this algorithm], insert it into the <tt>keyword.URL</tt> preference value to produce a search URL, since the <code>keyword.enabled</code> preference defaults to true in Firefox.

GavinSharp: /* Before Network */

2011-10-31T20:29:29Z

Before Network

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:29, 31 October 2011
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	* If the string contains a space, split on the first space and examine the first token.		* If the string contains a space, split on the first space and examine the first token.
	* If it's a search engine keyword, expand using the relevant search URL.		** If it's a search engine keyword, expand using the relevant search URL.
	* If it's a user-defined keyword, expand that.		** If it's a user-defined keyword, expand that.

	...		...
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	* If it looks like a search according to [http://mxr.mozilla.org/mozilla-central/source/docshell/base/nsDefaultURIFixup.cpp#804 this algorithm], insert it into the <tt>keyword.URL</tt> preference value to produce a search URL, since the <code>keyword.enabled</code> preference defaults to true in Firefox.		* If it looks like a search according to [http://mxr.mozilla.org/mozilla-central/source/docshell/base/nsDefaultURIFixup.cpp#804 this algorithm], insert it into the <tt>keyword.URL</tt> preference value to produce a search URL, since the <code>keyword.enabled</code> preference defaults to true in Firefox.
	** Note: "insert it into the <tt>keyword.URL</tt> preference" now means "perform a search using the default search engine", when keyword.URL's value is empty (the default in Firefox)		** Note: "insert it into the <tt>keyword.URL</tt> preference" now means "perform a search using the default search engine", when keyword.URL's value is empty (the default in Firefox)
	* The algorithm says it's a search if it contains a space or a quote before the first dot, colon or question mark, or if it starts with a question mark.		** The algorithm says it's a search if it contains a space or a quote before the first dot, colon or question mark, or if it starts with a question mark.

	...		...

GavinSharp at 20:26, 31 October 2011

2011-10-31T20:26:01Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:26, 31 October 2011
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	* If it looks like a search according to [http://mxr.mozilla.org/mozilla-central/source/docshell/base/nsDefaultURIFixup.cpp#804 this algorithm], insert it into the <tt>keyword.URL</tt> preference value to produce a search URL, since the <code>keyword.enabled</code> preference defaults to true in Firefox.		* If it looks like a search according to [http://mxr.mozilla.org/mozilla-central/source/docshell/base/nsDefaultURIFixup.cpp#804 this algorithm], insert it into the <tt>keyword.URL</tt> preference value to produce a search URL, since the <code>keyword.enabled</code> preference defaults to true in Firefox.
			** Note: "insert it into the <tt>keyword.URL</tt> preference" now means "perform a search using the default search engine", when keyword.URL's value is empty (the default in Firefox)
	* The algorithm says it's a search if it contains a space or a quote before the first dot, colon or question mark, or if it starts with a question mark.		* The algorithm says it's a search if it contains a space or a quote before the first dot, colon or question mark, or if it starts with a question mark.

Bzbarsky: /* Network */

2011-10-29T05:54:56Z

Network

← Older revision		Revision as of 05:54, 29 October 2011
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	## Get the prefix to use from the <code>browser.fixup.alternate.prefix</code> preference; default is "www.". Some locales set this preference.		## Get the prefix to use from the <code>browser.fixup.alternate.prefix</code> preference; default is "www.". Some locales set this preference.
	## Get the suffix to use from the <code>browser.fixup.alternate.suffix</code> preference; default is ".com". Some locales set this preference.		## Get the suffix to use from the <code>browser.fixup.alternate.suffix</code> preference; default is ".com". Some locales set this preference.
	## If the hostname includes no '.' characters, prepend the prefix and append the suffix. Else if it has a single '.' and the part ending on the '.' is equal to our prefix, append the suffix. Else if it has a single '.' and tour suffix is nonempty prepend the prefix. For the default pref values, this means the <tt>foo</tt> will become <tt>www.foo.com</tt>, as will <tt>foo.com</tt> and <tt>www.foo</tt>. <tt>foo.org</tt> will become <tt>www.foo.org</tt>. <tt>web.foo</tt> and <tt>x.y.foo</tt> won't be changed.		## If the hostname includes no '.' characters, prepend the prefix and append the suffix. Else if it has a single '.' and the part ending on the '.' is equal to our prefix, append the suffix. Else if it has a single '.' and tour suffix is nonempty prepend the prefix. For the default pref values, this means the <tt>"foo"</tt> will become <tt>"www.foo.com"</tt>, as will <tt>"foo.com"</tt> and <tt>"www.foo"</tt>. Similarly, <tt>"foo.org"</tt> will become <tt>"www.foo.org"</tt>. On the other hand, <tt>"web.foo"</tt> and <tt>"x.y.foo"</tt> won't be changed.
	# If either of the two steps above produced a URI different from the URI whose load failed, load that new URI.		# If either of the two steps above produced a URI different from the URI whose load failed, load that new URI.

Bzbarsky: /* Network */

2011-10-29T05:52:59Z

Network

← Older revision		Revision as of 05:52, 29 October 2011
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	==Network==		==Network==

	...		# Since the <code>keyword.enabled</code> preference is true, if DNS lookup for the hostname failed and the URI scheme contains the string "http" and the hostname does not contain a '.' then plug the hostname (possibly after some decoding from punycode to UTF-8) into <tt>keyword.URL</tt>.
			# If the above step did not produce a <code>nsIURI</code> and either DNS lookup failed or the network access failed with <code>NS_ERROR_NET_RESET</code> (typically means the server did not respond or dropped the connection immediately) and the protocol is "http" and the url does not contain a username or password then because the <code>browser.fixup.alternate.enabled</code> preference defaults to true we try to construct an alternate hostname. The steps for this are in <code>nsDefaultURIFixup::MakeAlternateURI</code> and are as follows:
			## Get the prefix to use from the <code>browser.fixup.alternate.prefix</code> preference; default is "www.". Some locales set this preference.
			## Get the suffix to use from the <code>browser.fixup.alternate.suffix</code> preference; default is ".com". Some locales set this preference.
			## If the hostname includes no '.' characters, prepend the prefix and append the suffix. Else if it has a single '.' and the part ending on the '.' is equal to our prefix, append the suffix. Else if it has a single '.' and tour suffix is nonempty prepend the prefix. For the default pref values, this means the <tt>foo</tt> will become <tt>www.foo.com</tt>, as will <tt>foo.com</tt> and <tt>www.foo</tt>. <tt>foo.org</tt> will become <tt>www.foo.org</tt>. <tt>web.foo</tt> and <tt>x.y.foo</tt> won't be changed.
			# If either of the two steps above produced a URI different from the URI whose load failed, load that new URI.

Bzbarsky: /* Before Network */

2011-10-29T05:37:24Z

Before Network

← Older revision		Revision as of 05:37, 29 October 2011
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	...		...

	* If it looks like a search according to [http://mxr.mozilla.org/mozilla-central/source/docshell/base/nsDefaultURIFixup.cpp#804 this algorithm], insert it into the <tt>keyword.URL</tt> preference value to produce a search URL.		* If it looks like a search according to [http://mxr.mozilla.org/mozilla-central/source/docshell/base/nsDefaultURIFixup.cpp#804 this algorithm], insert it into the <tt>keyword.URL</tt> preference value to produce a search URL, since the <code>keyword.enabled</code> preference defaults to true in Firefox.
	* The algorithm says it's a search if it contains a space or a quote before the first dot, colon or question mark, or if it starts with a question mark.		* The algorithm says it's a search if it contains a space or a quote before the first dot, colon or question mark, or if it starts with a question mark.

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	* If we're looking at something that does not have a scheme specified, prepend either "ftp://" or "http://" depending on whether <code>nsDefaultURIFixup::IsLikelyFTP</code> returns true.		* If we're looking at something that does not have a scheme specified, prepend either "ftp://" or "http://" depending on whether <code>nsDefaultURIFixup::IsLikelyFTP</code> returns true.
	* Try to construct an <code>nsIURI</code>. If that fails, fall back on producing a search url from <tt>keyword.URL</tt>.		* Try to construct an <code>nsIURI</code>. If that fails, fall back on producing a search url from <tt>keyword.URL</tt>, since again <code>keyword.enabled</code> defaults to true.
	* Start the network load.		* Start the network load.

Bzbarsky: /* Before Network */

2011-10-29T05:33:16Z

Before Network

← Older revision		Revision as of 05:33, 29 October 2011
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	* If it looks like a search according to [http://mxr.mozilla.org/mozilla-central/source/docshell/base/nsDefaultURIFixup.cpp#804 this algorithm], insert it into the <tt>keyword.URL</tt> preference value to produce a search URL.		* If it looks like a search according to [http://mxr.mozilla.org/mozilla-central/source/docshell/base/nsDefaultURIFixup.cpp#804 this algorithm], insert it into the <tt>keyword.URL</tt> preference value to produce a search URL.
	* The algorithm says it's a search if it contains a space or a quote before the first dot, colon or question mark, or if it starts with a question mark.		* The algorithm says it's a search if it contains a space or a quote before the first dot, colon or question mark, or if it starts with a question mark.

			...

			* If we're looking at something that does not have a scheme specified, prepend either "ftp://" or "http://" depending on whether <code>nsDefaultURIFixup::IsLikelyFTP</code> returns true.
			* Try to construct an <code>nsIURI</code>. If that fails, fall back on producing a search url from <tt>keyword.URL</tt>.
			* Start the network load.

	==Network==		==Network==

	...		...

Gerv: Created page with "This page documents the steps Firefox takes as a user types some text into the URL bar, and when they press "Enter" or "Go". ==While The User Is Typing== From the very first ch..."

2011-10-27T09:00:29Z

Created page with "This page documents the steps Firefox takes as a user types some text into the URL bar, and when they press "Enter" or "Go". ==While The User Is Typing== From the very first ch..."

New page

This page documents the steps Firefox takes as a user types some text into the URL bar, and when they press "Enter" or "Go".

==While The User Is Typing==

From the very first character typed, we dynamically search:

* history titles and URLs
* bookmark titles, URLs and tags
* open tabs titles and URLs

with search results limited to some subset of those sources if requested, according to [http://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/Location%20bar%20autocomplete#w_changing-results-on-the-fly this algorithm].

==When Enter Is Pressed==

(Adding a Ctrl or Shift modifier changes the behaviour; the below is the unmodified algorithm.)

==Before Network==

Function [http://mxr.mozilla.org/mozilla-central/source/browser/base/content/browser.js#2297 getShortCutOrURI in browser.js].

* If the string contains a space, split on the first space and examine the first token.
* If it's a search engine keyword, expand using the relevant search URL.
* If it's a user-defined keyword, expand that.

...

* If it looks like a search according to [http://mxr.mozilla.org/mozilla-central/source/docshell/base/nsDefaultURIFixup.cpp#804 this algorithm], insert it into the <tt>keyword.URL</tt> preference value to produce a search URL.
* The algorithm says it's a search if it contains a space or a quote before the first dot, colon or question mark, or if it starts with a question mark.

==Network==

...